Medical Travel Challenges American Medicine : More and more Americans are traveling overseas for cheaper procedures and better accommodations.

He added that a little bit of healthy competition from abroad, “could have a potentially positive structural impact on how the U.S. delivers health care services.”

Mr. Lefko said that he believes the emergence of world-class health care systems across the Pacific will likely give U.S. hospitals a much-needed kick in the bedpan.

“Already 500,000 Americans each year are leaving the U.S. for health care reasons, and this is going to grow. U.S. hospitals and doctors will complain, but the reality is U.S. hospitals have had plenty of time to straighten out their acts. They've had plenty of opportunities to create better, more economical health care services. Medical tourism's going to level the playing field. I've been in the hospital business for 35 years, and I've seen all sorts of facilities and operations. I wouldn't hesitate to go to any of the hospitals in Singapore,” Mr. Lefko said.